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NBA commissioner Adam Silver is reportedly implementing tweaks to league rules about tanking
The Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers were fined last week after they chose to rest star players
With a talented incoming draft class, more franchises are losing so that they can better their odds for a top pick
The NBA is aiming to combat the increasing practice of teams tanking to get top draft picks.
League CommissionerAdam Silvermet with 30 general managers on Thursday, Feb. 19, to discuss the irksome trend — which has drawn the ire of fans and critics alike — and will implement changes next season, sources toldESPN.
Among the ideas discussed to tweak the current system, first-round draft picks would be protected for top-four or top-14-plus selections, lottery odds would freeze at the trade deadline or a later date and teams would no longer be able to pick in the top four in consecutive years.
The "inside basketball" moves come in the wake of the NBA fining the Utah Jazz and the Indiana Pacers for "conduct detrimental to the league" after both teams recently removed star players from their lineups,according to the league.
Meanwhile, more teams are implementing the practice so that they can land a top draft pick because this year's class is one of the most talented in recent memory, according toThe Athletic.
In his annual league address during All-Star Weekend, Silver addressed the "conundrum."
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"The fundamental theory behind the draft is to help your worst-performing teams restock and be able to compete," Silver said, according to The Athletic. "The issue is, if teams are manipulating their performance in order to get higher draft picks, even in a lottery, then the question becomes … are they really the worst performing teams?
He added, "My sense is talking to GMs and coaches around the league that there's probably even more parity reflected in our records. And that goes to the incentive issue. … It's a bit of a conundrum."
With the NBA at an inflection point, one outspoken former owner said the issue shouldn't be top of mind.
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"The nba should worry more about fan experience than tanking," former Dallas Mavericks ownerMark Cubanwrote onXearlier this week. "It should worry more about pricing fans out of games than tanking.
He added, "You know who cares the least about tanking , a parent who cant afford to bring their 3 kids to a game and buy their kids a jersey of their fave player. Tanking isn't the issue. Affordability and quality of game presentation are."
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